Kopenhaver Center Community Spotlights
Discover the latest achievements and milestones from the Kopenhaver Center community. This page highlights upcoming events, workshops, and signature programs alongside news, accolades, and stories from Kopenhaver Fellows, Career Catalyst Immersion Program participants, Leadership Council members, LEAD Research Consortium and more as they elevate women’s leadership in communication and drive impact in their professions and the academy. Explore how our community continues to lead, innovate, and shape the future of communication.
Dr. Elisabeth Fondren, a 2020 Kopenhaver Fellow, earns tenure at St. John’s University in New York.
Elisabeth Fondren, Ph.D., WFMF 2020 Kopenhaver Fellow
Dr. Elisabeth Fondren, a Kopenhaver Fellow (2020 workshop participant), achieved tenure and promotion to Associate Professor of Journalism & Political Communication at St. John’s University in New York.
Her scholarship explores the history of international journalism, government propaganda, military-media relations, and freedom of speech. She has won several awards for teaching and research, and her work has been featured in The Associated Press, CNN, The Independent, The Economic Times, and WIRED, among other news outlets.
Dr. Ciera Kirkpatrick publishes a new study on social media mental health.
Ciera Kirkpatrick, Ph.D., LEAD Research Consortium
New research suggests that scrolling through picture-perfect parenting content on social media can take a real toll on new moms — but the fix may be simpler than logging off. A study published in Computers in Human Behavior from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln found that mixing realistic portrayals of motherhood into social media feeds can help reduce shame and sustain positive emotions among mothers of young children.
Read the full news release or access the published study.
Dr. Elizabeth Rodwell publishes new work on media, technology, and audience engagement.
Elizabeth Rodwell, Ph.D., LEAD Research Consortium
In Push the Button, Elizabeth Rodwell follows a battle over what interactivity will mean for Japanese television, as major media conglomerates took on independent media professionals developing interactive forms from new media. Rodwell argues that at the dawn of a potentially transformative moment in television history, content conservatism has triumphed over technological innovation.
Kopenhaver Center Open House & 2025 Woman of Distinction Award
2025 Woman of Distinction Award presented to Dr. Dianne Lynch
On January 29, 2026, the Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center opened its new space to the FIU community and its stakeholders.
We also recognize an absolute trailblazer in the world of communication, journalism, and education—Dr. Dianne Lynch, our 2025 Woman of Distinction. Dr. Lynch was president of Stephens College for 16 years and also serves on the Leadership Council for the Kopenhaver Center.